Kreanga's backhand is the most spectacular, but certainly not the best for the modern game.

Kreanga has problems with backhand/forehand integration. I think it is mainly because of his huge backhand stroke.

Kreanga's backhand close to the table is only average. He plays his style based on pure athleticism. But his huge stroke hinders his backhand close to the table.

Kreanga uses his backhand to cover the forehand side. So he increases the significance of his backhand at the expense of his style.

If you are looking for the most effective backhand, it would have to be Boll or Wang Hao. In the past it has been Primorac, and he is still up there, but these two are faster. Boll and Wang Hao can block, counterloop, punch, flip, anything, at any distance. You can't say that about Kreanga. When was the last time you saw Kreanga do an effective block with his backhand? Can Kreanga hold the table?

There is a video of Smirnov on this site from the Qatar Open 2003. He plays Kreanga in the quarterfinals. If you believe Kreanga's backhand is the best, you should see it matched up against Smirnov's backhand. There is no comparison. Smirnov topspins Kreanga off the table with his backhand. Time and time again, Kreanga cannot hold his ground close to the table against Smirnov, and he ends up getting destroyed.

Smirnov makes some backhands so incredible in this match, your jaw will drop.

When was the last time you saw Kreanga do an effective block with his backhand? Can Kreanga hold the table?

i agree, kreanga's backhand power is second to none, but that doesn't mean his backhand is best. he power loops EVERYTHING that came to his back hand, and making many stupid mistakes. (one of the reason he lost the world cup to ma lin in 2004)

Kreanga has problems with backhand/forehand integration. I think it is mainly because of his huge backhand stroke.

this happens because he has to switch grips, i do the same when i backhand loop, i switch into a completely different grip to backhand loop. Then i have problems getting the right grip when i go for forehands, i think this happens to kreanga too.

kreanga has an entertaining backhand loop, but that doesn't mean his backhand is the best. he really doesn't block or flat hit the ball effectively with his backhand. it is a big flashy stroke that he needs time to set up. it is a nice shot to watch, but when pressured, his backhand falls apart. chuan has a great backhand because he can block, loop, and hit with his backhand. wang liqin has one of the steadiest backhands, like a wall. it is hard to hit through it. i don't think timo's backhand is that good because he can't really force the ball with his backhand. he is steady, but it is kind of slow. schlager has a very effective backhand. he can block well, rip the ball, and it has a lot of spin. he can use it close to the table or from off the table. this is why it is so effective. he has much more variation and stability from the backhand side when compared to kreanga.

I think we can all agree that Kreanga has the most spectacular and powerful backhand, but that doesn't mean it's the best. To be effective, the backhand must be able to not only smash/loop really strong, but also block/control location to keep your opponents on their toes. Kreanga's stroke is huge, but that mean it's good. Wang Hao, Ma Lin, Chiang Peng-Lung, Samsonov all have very effective backhands that can do more than break balls. Kreanga's backhand is entertaining to watch, but it's not exactly the best.

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